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| From Left Sheikh Mustapha Olayiwola Ajisafe |
and Delta states, has passed away at the age of 85, leaving behind a rich legacy of outstanding efforts for the country’s peace.
"The death of Sheikh Ajisafe is a big loss to the Muslim Ummah in Osogbo as we'll as the entire state because he preached peace and unity while alive. His preaching at home and his gospel of Islamic scholarship will be missed," Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State said in a condolence message by his media spokesman Semi Okanlawon.
"Words are inadequate to deacribe the contributions of our father to the growth of Islam in Osogbo, Osun, Edo, Delta and Nigeria. Baba Ajisafe was popularly known for his commitment to the promotion and propagation of peace and unity. He was no doubt a scholar of higher integrity who touched the lives of many Muslims positively."
The burial of the Chief Imam of Osogbo has been slated for Wednesday at the Osogbo township stadium, to be attended by top political leaders, Muslim clerics from across Nigeria and beyond, community leaders and members of the public
Prominent Muslim scholars have also extolled the virtues of the late Muslim scholar.
"He was a forthright scholar who would be sorely missed by all of us. He was a quintessential Muslim leader with uncommon qualities. He was a great elder," Sheikh Habeebullah Adam, spokesman for the League and Director of the Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies (Agege, Lagos), told OnIslam.net on phone shortly after the burial.
"The ummah will miss him and we pray Allah to bless him and forgive whatever his shortcomings."
Pillar of Nigeria’s Islam
Secretary General of the Jama'atu Nasrul Islam (JNI), Dr Khalid Aliyu Abubakar extolled the virtues of the late Sheikh, calling him "one of the remaining pillars of Islam in Nigeria and a great voice of reason in the fold of Islamic scholarship."
Aliyu said the JNI commiserated with the "entire Muslim community across their country especially in the southwest where he was the President General of the League of Imams and Alfas, the Osogbo Muslim community and of course his immediate family."
He prayed "Allah to bless his soul while we take solace in the fact that Sheikh Ajisafe was a great Muslim scholar who used his scholarship to advance the course of deen."
Professor Ishaq Akintola of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) called the late sheikh "a brilliant and forthright Islamic scholar...who has been playing prominent role in guiding pilgrims from the southern part of Nigeria during hajj seasons in the past five years."
"The deceased will be remembered for his friendliness and warmth and his closeness to the youths. He worked tirelessly for their progress of Yorubaland. He promoted peaceful coexistence among different religious and ethnic groups,” he added.
"His death will leave a yawning gap in the Muslim community of southern Nigeria....We pray that almighty Allah will repose his soul in al-jannah firdaus and give his family and close associates the strength to bear this irreparable loss."
The late scholar in lines
Born in Nigeria's commercial city of Lagos in December 1929, the late President General League Of Imam And Alfas South-west Edo and Delta was known to be a polyglot who deployed his skills for religious propagation.
Sheik Ajisafe was often described as "cleric emeritus" who started as a student of the late Mufty of Ilorin town in central Nigeria Kwara State Sheik Kamaldeen al adabiyy Al-Ilorin. Ajisafe later studied in Cairo, Kuwait and Iran.
He was appointed as Àjanassi (interpreter) to late the Sheikh Ayobami Onilewura - another great Yoruba Muslim scholar - and later Noib Imam to Sheikh Jimoh Baba pupa, then Chief Imam of Osogbo and later the President General League of Imam and Alfas in Yoruba Land,Edo and Delta.
Imam Ajisafe was a thoroughbred scholar who was an incurable seeker of knowledge and his tenacity and oratory was said to be second to none.
Above all, his versatility in reading any language fluently was a plus as the late Imam was comfortable in reading and speaking English, French, Latin, Hebrew and Yoruba language.
The late Sheikh Olayiwola Mustapha Ajisafe was not only a respected Imam in Nigeria but he was also respected and adored in the entire Muslim world.
Source:onislam.net
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